Rockies exercise 2014 option for lefty Jorge De La Rosa

Jorge De La Rosa will be back with the Rockies for at least one more season. (USATSI)

As expected, the Rockies announced they have officially exercised their 2014 club option for left-hander Jorge De La Rosa. He will earn $11 million next season and become a free agent next winter.

De La Rosa, 32, went 16-6 with a 3.49 ERA (127 ERA+) and 1.38 WHIP in 167 2/3 innings across 30 starts in 2013. He managed to allow only 11 home runs despite pitching half his games in Coors Field. That's rather impressive.

Colorado signed De La Rosa to a two-year contract worth $21.25 million following the 2010 season, but he made just 10 starts in 2011 before blowing out his elbow and requiring Tommy John surgery. He made three starts late in 2012 before exercising an $11 million player option for 2013.

In parts of six seasons for the Rockies, De La Rosa has gone 55-34 with a 4.23 ERA (109 ERA+) and 8.1 K/9 in 674 innings. His strikeout rate (6.0 K/9) was way down in 2013, however. He pitched for the Brewers and Royals earlier in his career.

De La Rosa joins the underrated Jhoulys Chacin to form a rock solid 1-2 punch atop Colorado's rotation. A healthy Tyler Chatwood would make a fine No. 3 starter, but filling out the rest of the staff could be a challenge.